Picks of the Week: June 17 - 23, 2012

Website of the Week -- The Center for Collaborative Planning
The Center for Collaborative Planning (CCP) promotes health and social justice by providing training and technical assistance and by connecting people and resources. CCP supports diverse communities by providing extensive resource collections in key areas, such as: Asset-based Community Development (ABCD), Leadership Development, Working Collaboratively Community Assessment, and Strategic Planning. Go to: http://www.connectccp.org/library.

Publication of the Week --  How to Say It: Grantwriting: Write Proposals That Grantmakers Want to Fund by Deborah S. Koch
From the publisher:  In grant- seeking, words can go where the applicant can't-the foundation boardroom, the corporation's headquarters-so it's important to use them as the strategic, powerful tools that they are. This book shows readers how to find, frame, and use words effectively to make the case for any organization and its projects. Readers are provided the tools for crafting a grant proposal that speaks directly to the funder's interests. Packed with examples of winning proposals, and strategies for using words to inspire and convince, this is the must-have resource for any grant-seeker hoping to stand apart from the crowd. Grant-seekers will learn:

·      How to find out which funders fit their project exactly

·      Strategies for figuring out what each grant-maker is looking for
·      Critical tips for crafting attention-grabbing proposals

Click topreview this book on Amazon.com.

Trend of the Week – Trends in American Families

The American Family Assets Study released by The Search Institute presents a compelling national portrait of families. It introduces a new framework of Family Assets—relationships, interactions, opportunities, and values that help families thrive. These assets are associated with positive outcomes for young teens and their parenting adults, explaining more of the differences in outcomes than many demographics and other individual and family characteristics explain. The study blends the perspectives of both teens and their parenting adults to show how a wide range of diverse families experience both strengths and gaps in Family Assets. The framework proposes an ideal—something families might aspire to as a vision for how they live their lives together. In this national study, American families scored an average of 47 out of 100 in the Family Assets Index, suggesting that the vast majority of families have both strengths to celebrate and opportunities to grow stronger together. For more information and to download a copy of the study, go to: http://www.search-institute.org/familyassets/study.

Resource of the Week – Retaining and Developing High Potential Talent: A Toolkit
Among the best strategies for developing diversity in human services is to retain and develop talent within your organization. The National Human Services Assembly's toolkit, Retaining and Developing High Potential Talent, focuses on onboarding, employee mentoring and succession planning as key levers for advancing diversity and inclusion through talent management. The guide offers a quick and accessible overview of key elements for building a successful Diversity & Inclusion approach to  your organization’s talent management, followed by a closer look at how to build effective onboarding, mentoring and succession planning programs. To download the guide, go to:
http://nationalassembly.org/Knowledge/documents/RetainingAndDevelopingHighPotentialTalent_NHSAToolkit.pdf

Tech Tip of the Week -- Turning Photos into PowerPoint 2010 Slide Shows

To turn your digital pictures into PowerPoint 2010 slide shows:

• Click the Insert tab on the Ribbon
• In the Illustrations group, click Photo Album
• On the Photo Album dialog box, click the File/Disk button to Insert pictures
• Click the Create button

The steps are the same for PowerPoint 2007.  Click here if you're using an earlier versionof PowerPoint. 

Picks of the Week: June 10 - 16, 2012

Website of the Week -- IdeaEncore
IdeaEncore is a user generated knowledge management and online file sharing system. IdeaEncore offers free and easy registration, online file sharing, some free file downloads and free file browsing. As a nonprofit resource center, IdeaEncore helps organizations to build their reputation, spread their mission, and create earned income by providing a nonprofit and social enterprise marketplace for document sharing. IdeaEncore's online file downloads and sharing services enable individuals and organizations to publish, browse, share, and retrieve files to better understand what peers in the nonprofit community are doing. Go to: https://www.ideaencore.com.

Publication of the Week --  Thinking in Systems: A Primer by Donella H. Meadows

From the publisher:  In the years following her role as the lead author of the international bestseller, Limits to Growth--the first book to show the consequences of unchecked growth on a finite planet-- Donella Meadows remained a pioneer of environmental and social analysis until her untimely death in 2001. Meadows' newly released manuscript, Thinking in Systems, is a concise and crucial book offering insight for problem solving on scales ranging from the personal to the global. Edited by the Sustainability Institute's Diana Wright, this essential primer brings systems thinking out of the realm of computers and equations and into the tangible world, showing readers how to develop the systems-thinking skills that thought leaders across the globe consider critical for 21st-century life. Some of the biggest problems facing the world--war, hunger, poverty, and environmental degradation--are essentially system failures. They cannot be solved by fixing one piece in isolation from the others, because even seemingly minor details have enormous power to undermine the best efforts of too-narrow thinking.

Show

Click topreview this book on Amazon.com.


Trend of the Week – Volunteering in America 2011
The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) hosts the most comprehensive collection of information on volunteering in the U.S. at its Web site: www.VolunteeringInAmerica.gov. The site allows civic leaders, nonprofit organizations, and interested individuals to retrieve a wide range of information regarding trends and demographics in volunteering in their regions, states, and nearly 200 metro areas. Volunteering data has been collected every year since 2002. The current summary document highlights some of the key findings from the new data released in 2011. Key findings include:

• Generation X stepped up their commitment in 2010, giving 2.3 billion hours of service—an increase of almost 110 million hours since 2009. Once
• stereotyped as skeptical and disengaged, Generation X is showing signs of optimism that they can make a difference in their communities through service as they become more connected to local networks through their careers and their children.
• Gen X members have more than doubled their volunteer rate between 1989 and the present day (2010). In 1989, 12.3 percent of Generation X members who were between 16 (the minimum age to participate in the survey) and 24 volunteered with an organization. By 2010, the Gen X volunteer rate had risen to 29.2 percent.1
• The increases in volunteer rates seen among Generation X reflect an observable pattern in volunteering among different age groups that holds true year after year: The volunteer rate tends to be higher in teen years than in early adulthood, when the volunteering rate is typically at its second lowest point after very old age. In the mid- to late twenties, volunteering rates begin to pick up again, growing until they reach a peak around the time of middle age. After middle age, volunteering rates begin to drop as age increases.

For more information, go to: http://www.volunteeringinamerica.gov/assets/resources/FactSheetFinal.pdf

Resource of the Week – Emergency Succession Plan Template

The Center for Nonprofit Advancement has developed an Emergency Succession Plan Template. The purpose of the template is to define the contents of such a plan, and make this essential document easy to adapt and implement. The template includes plans for short-term, long-term and permanent executive director changes. The template includes a specific name or selection criteria would be established to select an acting executive director, a communications plan to notify board members, funders and other key stakeholders. The template also includes a thorough contact inventory. This will allow your organization to take important scattered information and place it all in one document, vital information in case of an emergency. The Center advises that this template should be built and reviewed annually with your organization’s board of directors. Go to: http://www.niqca.org/documents/Emergency_Succession_Plan_Template.pdf.
 

Tech Tip of the Week -- Use Text-to-Speech in Excel 2007/2010

Text-to-speech was not included in the Excel 2007 Ribbon. To use this feature in Excel 2007/2010 you must first add it to the Quick Access Toolbar.  Here’s how:

·         Click the Customize Quick Access Toolbar arrow

·         Click More Commands from the drop-down menu
·         From the Choose commands from list, select Commands Not in the Ribbon
·         Scroll down and select the Speak Cells commands you want to use and click Add
·         Click OK when you are finished adding commands to your Quick Access Toolbar

Now you can select a group of cells to read back, click the speak button, and Excel will read your data.  Of course, you need speakers or a headset to hear it!  For more information on using this feature go to Converting text to speech in Excel.

Picks of the Week: June 3 - 9, 2012

Website of the Week -- Nonprofit Trends
Nonprofit Trends is a blog by Steve MacLaughlin and covers a wide range of topics around the nonprofit sector with a focus on the trends shaping the nonprofit sector. Steve is the Director of Internet Solutions at Blackbaud and is responsible for leading how the company provides online solutions for its clients. Steve has spent more than 14 years building successful online initiatives with a broad range of Fortune 500 firms, government and educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations across the world. He is a frequent speaker at conferences and events including the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP), Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), Direct Marketing Fundraisers Association (DMFA), Institute of Fundraising, National Association of Independent School (NAIS), Nonprofit Technology Network (NTEN), and other nonprofit organizations. Go to: http://www.nptrends.com.


Publication of the Week --  101 Social Media Tactics for Nonprofits: A Field Guide
From the publisher:  101 Social Media Tactics for Nonprofits features 101 actionable tactics that nonprofits can start using today, and most of the featured resources are free. Broken down into five key areas, this unique guide explains the steps and tools needed to implement each tactic, and provides many real-life examples of how nonprofits are using the tactics. With this book as your guide, you'll learn how leading nonprofit professionals around the world are leveraging social media to engage constituents, communicate their cause, and deliver on their mission.

• Presents immediately useful ideas for relevant impact on your organization's social presence so you can engage with supporters in new and inventive ways
• Features 101 beginner to intermediate-level tactics with real-life examples
• Offers a workable format to help nonprofits discover new ways of deploying their strategy
• Includes nonprofit social media influencers from leading nonprofits around the world including National Wildlife Federation, March of Dimes, and The Humane Society

Nonprofits know they need to start engaging with supporters through social media channels. This field guide to social media tactics for nonprofits will feature 101 beginner to intermediate-level tactics with real-life examples to help nonprofits discover new ways of deploying their strategy and meeting their social media objectives.
Click to preview this book on Amazon.com

Trend of the Week –  Foundation Program Related Investment Trends
According to Key Facts on Mission Investing, a report from the Foundation Center, more foundations are using their investment assets to achieve their missions. One-in-seven surveyed foundations are employing market-rate mission-related investments and/or below-market-rate program-related investments to achieve a social benefit. More than half of those making mission-related investments began doing so within the past five years. Other findings include:
· About one-in-seven surveyed respondents (14.1 percent) currently engage in mission investing, including program related investments (PRIs) and/or market-rate mission related investments (MRIs).
· Among those foundations that engage in mission investing, half hold PRIs, 28 percent invest in both PRIs and MRIs, and less than a quarter (22 percent) hold only MRIs.
· Foundation involvement in mission investing varies by foundation type, with community and independent foundations being more likely to hold mission investments than corporate foundations.
To download a copy of the report, go to: http://foundationcenter.org/gainknowledge/research/pdf/keyfacts_missioninvesting2011.pdf.

Resource of the Week – W.K. Kellogg Foundation Logic Model Development Guide

Nonprofits today are being pressed to demonstrate the effectiveness of their program activities by initiating and completing outcome-oriented evaluation of projects. The W.K. Kellogg Foundation Logic Model Development Guide was developed to provide practical assistance to nonprofits engaged in this process. In the pages of this guide, we hope to give staff of nonprofits and community members alike sufficient orientation to the underlying principles of "logic modeling" to use this tool to enhance their program planning, implementation, and dissemination activities.  To access the guide, go to: http://www.wkkf.org/knowledge-center/resources/2006/02/WK-Kellogg-Foundation-Logic-Model-Development-Guide.aspx.

Tech Tip of the Week -- Quickly Change Font Size in Word

To quickly increase or decrease the font size of selected text by 1 point, do this:

·         Select Text
·         Ctrl + ] to increase by 1 point
·        Ctrl + [ to decrease by 1 point

This tip works in all PC versions of Word.

Picks of the Week: May 27 - June 2, 2012

Website of the Week -- Opportunity Knocks
Opportunity Knocks is a national online job site, HR resource and career development destination focused exclusively on the nonprofit community. We are committed to lead and support efforts that help further nonprofit careers and promote a robust workforce that enables organizations to complete their missions. For nonprofit professionals, www.OpportunityKnocks.org is a vehicle for finding nonprofit jobs and access valuable resources for developing successful careers in the nonprofit community. For employers, the organization is an important way to find qualified candidates and receive valuable information that nonprofit organizations need when building successful recruitment, retention and human resource strategies. Go to: http://www.opportunityknocks.org.

Publication of the Week --  The Ethics Challenge in Public Service: A Problem-Solving Guide, 3rd Edition by Carol W. Lewis and Stuart C. Gilman

From the publisher:  This thoroughly revised and updated third edition of The Ethics Challenge in Public Service is the classic ethics text used in public management programs nationwide. The book serves as a valuable resource for public managers who work in a world that presents numerous ethical challenges every day. It is filled with a wealth of practical tools and strategies that public managers can use when making ethical choices in the ambiguous and pressured world of public service. The book also contains new material on topics such as social networking, the use of apology, ethics as applied to public policy, working with elected officials, and more.

Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.


Trend of the Week –  Giving Circle Trends
Giving circles have emerged over the last decade as a growing and significant philanthropic trend among donors of all wealth levels and backgrounds. Past studies have shown that the number of giving circles has exploded across the country and that they are an established philanthropic force. Donors who participate in giving circles say they give more, give more strategically, and are more knowledgeable about nonprofit organizations and problems their local communities, according to a report released by the University of Nebraska at Omaha, the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers, and the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University. Giving circle members are more likely than other donors to give to organizations serving women and girls, ethnic and minority groups, and for arts, culture and ethnic awareness. They are less likely to give to federated or combined giving funds (such as the United Way) and to religious organizations. The study, which was funded in part by the Aspen Institute Nonprofit Sector and Philanthropy Program, examines the impact of giving circles on members’ giving and civic engagement, knowledge and attitudes. The report included a survey of 587 current and past giving circle members and a control group, interviews, and participant observations. To download the full report, go to: http://www.philanthropy.iupui.edu.

Resource of the Week – Free-Range Thinking Journal

free-range thinking is a monthly journal on public interest communications published by a goodman, a communications consulting firm that helps public interest groups, foundations,

and progressive businesses reach more people more effectively. free-range thinking includes information on best practices and resources for public interest communicators. To read the latest issue, access the archives, and request a free subscription, go to: http://www.agoodmanonline.com/newsletter/index.html.

Tech Tip of the Week -- Add a Drop Cap in Word 2010

A drop cap is used to display the first letter of the paragraph in a large font. To add a drop cap to a paragraph in Word 2010:

·         Click in the paragraph where you would like to apply a drop cap

·         Click the Insert tab on the Ribbon
·         In the text group, choose Drop Cap
·         From the Drop Cap list, click to select the style or choose options for additional choices

Picks of the Week: May 20 - 26, 2012

Website of the Week -- CatchaFire
Catchafire is that matches professionals who want to give their skills with nonprofits and social enterprises that need their help. Catchafire is a New York City-based, for-profit social mission business (and certified B-Corporation)  service that matches social good organizations with professionals who want to offer their skills and expertise in areas such as marketing, public relations, communications, design, multimedia, social media, fundraising, strategy, finance, human resources, and technology through pro bono service. Currently Catchafire has almost 2,000 organizations registered and 10,000 professionals in its network. Go to: http://www.catchafire.org.

Publication of the Week --  The Mission Myth: Building Nonprofit Momentum Through Better Business by Deirdre Maloney
From the publisher:  What is the Mission Myth? Most nonprofits believe that to achieve success all they need is passion and heart. The truth? It is only when they integrate The Four Ms: Management Money Marketing Measurement that they will achieve optimal results. Here are strategies, anecdotes, and practical tips for new levels of success - all derived from nonprofits that reached new heights. Offering validation, camaraderie, laughter, and hope, The Mission Myth helps you do good...well.

Click to preview this book onAmazon.com.

Trend of the Week –  Nonprofit Communications Trends 2012

Kivi Leroux Miller  has authored a report that summarizes results of a communications trends survey of 1,288 nonprofits in November 2011conducted at Nonprofit Marketing Guide.com. Key findings include:

• Only ¼ of nonprofits (24%) have a written and approved marketing plan for 2012. 59% have a written plan or informal notes for themselves only, not formally approved by leadership.
• Email marketing and websites will be the most important communications tools for nonprofits in 2012, followed by Facebook; print (newsletters, direct mail); in-person events; and media relations/PR. These are the Big Six of nonprofit communications.
• The importance of social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, and blogging held steady between 2011 and 2012, with only video gaining in importance.
• Monthly emailing is the most popular frequency for nonprofits at 43%, followed by every other week at 19% and quarterly at 14%. More than three quarters of nonprofits (78%) plan to email their typical supporters at least monthly.
• Quarterly direct mail is the most popular frequency for nonprofits at 39%, followed by twice a year at 31%.
• Only 12% expect to send direct mail to their typical supporters at least monthly.
• Nonprofit communicators are excited about investing in new websites, having real plans in place for the first time, integrating communications channels to increase effectiveness, and using social media to reach new supporters.

To access the report/infographics, go to: http://nonprofitmarketingguide.com/2012trends

Resource of the Week – Outsourcing Back-Office Services in Small Nonprofits: Pitfalls and Possibilities

The Management Assistance Group (MAG), based in Washington DC, has published a guidebook entitled  Outsourcing Back-Office Services in Small Nonprofits: Pitfalls and Possibilities. Leaders of smaller nonprofits know that attending to their back-office needs is critical but frequently lack the time or expertise to address these needs in addition to their programmatic work.  At the same time, they also have difficulty finding appropriate, affordable, quality outsourced services.  In this study, Mark Leach explores outsourcing as a solution for helping to improve small nonprofits’ back-office functions. To download a copy of the free guide, go to: http://www.managementassistance.org.

Tech Tip of the Week -- Saving your PowerPoint 2010 Presentation as a Video
There are a number of new features in PowerPoint 2010 which allow you to enhance your presentations with video, images and animations. During the coming weeks we will be publishing a series of tips that introduce you to these amazing new tools. Create a Video is one of these new features. Here’s how it works

• Create your presentation
• Save the presentation
• Click the File tab
• Click Save & Send in the left pane
• Under File Types, click Create a video
• Make changes in the right pane, if necessary
• Click the Create Video button

 After you create a video, you can share it with others by:

• Sending it as an e-mail attachment
• Burning it to a DVD disc
• Uploading it to a video sharing Web site such as YouTube
• Posting it on your website or other shared location

Picks of the Week: May 13 - 19, 2012

Website of the Week -- Severson Center Trend Website
The Severson Center, a division of the Alliance for Children and Families, has opened their trend website to the general public, allowing more immediate access to a library of information in a readily accessible, user-friendly format. No login is needed for the website, but some reports are password protected for access by members of the Alliance. Trends and their impacts are organized under the following categories: Business/Economy, Education, Nonprofits, Technology/Science, Demographics/Population, Health, Social Service Issues, and Work. No question about it: this is the only resource of its kind and an invaluable resource for nonprofit strategic planning efforts.  Go to: www.alliancetrends.org.

Publication of the Week --  The Responsible Administrator: An Approach to Ethics for the Administrative Role, 6th Edition by Terry L. Cooper

From the publisher:  Those who serve the public trust must take special care to ensure they make ethical and responsible decisions. Yet the realities of bureaucracies, deadlines, budgets, and demands for quick results make the payoffs for dealing formally with ethics seem unclear. Since its original publication, The Responsible Administrator has guided professionals and students alike as they grapple with the challenges of making ethical, responsible decisions in real world situations. This new edition includes information on coping with new demands for accountability, as well as new cases and examples, an examination of current issues relevant to administrative ethics, and supplementary materials for professors. Cooper’s theoretical framework and practical applications and techniques will help you consider all of the factors involved in a decision, ensuring that you balance professional, personal, and organizational values. Case studies and examples illustrate what works and what does not. The Responsible Administrator helps both experienced and novice public administrators and students become effective decision makers, provides them with a solid understanding of the role of ethics in public service and the framework to incorporate ethical and values-based decision making in day-to-day management.
Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.

Trend of the Week –  Social Justice Philanthropy Trends

According to a new report from the Foundation Center, a small but important subset of grantmakers — those who work on issues ranging from human rights to environmental justice — has been disproportionately impacted by the global financial crisis and their recovery remains in jeopardy. Diminishing Dollars: The Impact of the 2008 Financial Crisis on the Field of Social Justice Philanthropy examines historical trends in foundation assets, spending, and giving levels; describes strategies used by foundations to cope with depleted assets immediately following the crisis; and presents projections through 2015 for asset and grantmaking levels. Key findings of the study indicate:

• Unless the field sees five years of above average investment returns, social justice grantmaking in 2015 will remain below 2008 levels.
• Small foundations (less than $50 million in assets) will struggle the most to recover from the economic downturn.
• Nonprofit organizations seeking new funders will have a difficult time.
• Some foundations are unintentionally depleting their endowments at a very slow rate.

To download a copy of the report, go to: http://foundationcenter.org/gainknowledge/research/pdf/diminishing_dollars2011.pdf.

Resource of the Week – "Hour Series" of Nonprofit Guides

The award-winning “Hour” Series of Guides to Nonprofit Management has been developed  by Marilyn Donnellan, founder and president of Nonprofit Management Services.  Topic areas are general administration/management, board/volunteer development, community involvement,  marketing, program evaluation, and resource development. The series includes assessments, templates and sample policies/procedures. They are especially geared to smaller nonprofits. For more information, go to http://nonprofitmanagementservices.com/index.php/products and scroll down.

Tech Tip of the Week -- COUNTIFS in Excel 2007/2010

We've had the COUNTIF function in Excel for a while. This function allows you to count records in a list that match a single criteria. What's completely new with Excel 20072010 is COUNTIFS which allows you to count records based on multiple criteria. Sure, there were other ways of doing this before, but none as easy as the COUNTIFS function. Here's the syntax:

=COUNTIFS(range1,criterion1,range2,criterion2,…,range_n,criterion_n)

Makes it really simple to count records in a range that match the criteria you enter in the formula. If you need a little more help, check out this article on the Microsoft web site: Use the COUNTIFS function in Excel 2007 to analyze data.

Picks of the Week: May 6 - 12, 2012

Website of the Week -- Common Knowledge
Common Knowledge, a consulting agency founded in 2002 and based in San Francisco provides comprehensive consulting services for online fundraising, advocacy, marketing and communications to nonprofit organizations that need to leverage the Internet more effectively to further their mission. The site includes an extensive list of resources on use of technology by nonprofits. Go to: http://www.commonknow.com/html/index.php.

Publication of the Week -- Performance Measurement: Getting Results by Harry Hatry, 2nd edition
From the publisher: Long before "reinventing government" came into vogue, the Urban Institute pioneered methods for government and human services agencies to measure the performance of their programs. This book synthesizes more than two decades of Harry Hatry's pioneering work on performance measurement into a comprehensive guide. The author explains every component of the process, from identifying the program's mission, objectives, customers, and trackable outcomes to finding the best indicators for each outcome, the sources of data, and how to collect them. He covers the selection of indicator breakouts and benchmarks for comparisons to actual values and suggests a number of uses for performance information. Joseph Wholey contributes a chapter on maintaining the quality of the performance measurement process. Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.

Trend of the Week – Nonprofit Social Networking Trends
NTEN, Common Knowledge and Blackbaud have released the fourth annual 2012 Nonprofit Social Networking Benchmark Report. The report provides insights for nonprofits, foundations, media and businesses serving the nonprofit sector about the most important behavior and trends surrounding social networking as part of nonprofits’ marketing, communications, fundraising, program and IT work. Key trends include:
• Commercial social network use by respondents has passed well into mainstream adoption leaving a small percentage of late mainstream and laggards to join in.
• Facebook popularity among respondents is at saturation levels, while average community size continues to grow.
• Twitter adoption still growing along with average follower base size.
• LinkedIn popularity is relatively low (compared to Facebook and Twitter) but 2011 saw a sizeable jump in adoption of this channel.
• Many mature (2+ years old) commercial social networking communities continue to grow, while an increasingly smaller number of respondents are just getting started.

To download a copy of the report, go to: http://nonprofitsocialnetworksurvey.com.

Resource of the Week – Building Capacity to Measure and Manage Performance
Over the last decade, the social sector has witnessed a dramatic shift towards a focus on measureable results, with nonprofits feeling immense pressure to demonstrate their impact. Yet many nonprofits appear to be woefully under-investing in measurement, particularly in their own internal capacity to measure and manage performance in an effort to improve their organizations. Based on interviews with nonprofit leaders and more than a decade of consulting and executive search work, this article from Bridgespan shares five key lessons that create the underpinnings for how organizations can approach building their capacities to measure and manage performance to improve impact. To download the article, go to: http://www.bridgespan.org.

Tech Tip of the Week -- Keep a file on the Office 2007/2010 Recent Documents List
An excellent new feature in Office 2007/2010 which works in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access, is the ability to keep or “pin” a file in the Recent Documents list, here’s how:
• In 2007 click the Microsoft Office button or in 2010 click the File Tab and then click Recent
• Click the pin icon beside the document you want to keep on the list
• The pin button icon changes to a push pin viewed from the top